Signal apparatus.



J. WEIGEL.

SIGNAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, I915.

1,220,036. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

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J. WEIGEL.

SIGNAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. H. 1915.

1,220,036. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

witnesses I 71216722607 dw zm. 21 AA JOHN WEIG'EIJ, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIGNAL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Application filed November 11, 1915. Serial No. 60,807.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WEIGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bos- -ton, in the county of Suffolk and State of lvlassachusetts,have invented new and useful Improvements in Signal Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in signal apparatus and more particularly to a signal box of a police signal system.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of simple design which will be normally set in such a manner that by the mere oscillation of a lever, a wagon call will be sent in to a central ofice, while a route number, or other less important calls, may be rung in upon the insertion of suitable keys and the depression of an additional lever in connection with the oscillation of such first named lever.

he object of the invention is also to provide means adapted to reset the parts of said apparatus in their normal positions upon the closing of'a door of the signal box.

he invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts whereby the above objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing may be attained, as set forth in the following specification and par ticularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring. to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a signal box embodying my invention withthe door of said box swung open, portions of said box being broken away to save space in the drawings.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional elevation of the operating mechanism of said apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the apparatus as viewed in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a development of the periphery of the rotary member for said apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a patrolmans key.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the development of a modified form of rotary member.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. Y

In the drawings, 8 is a signal box provided with a door 9 which may be swung upon its hinges 10 to permit access to the signal transmitting device. Included in the signal transmitting device is a movable or rotary member 11 which is preferably cyl1ndrical in form and may be made in one piece or of a series of disks, preferably the latter, secured together and in turn mounted upon a shaft 12'to rotate therewith.

About the periphery of said rotary memher are teeth or at least notches or indentations of a suitable nature circumferentially arranged in series, at 14: adjacent said rotary member is arranged to engage the periphery of said member and be actuated by said teeth respectively, the end of the lever 13 which engages said periphery being provided with a roll 15. The outer free end 16 of the lever 13 is provided with a contact plate 17 normally 18 adjustably mounted in a bracket 19 upon which said lever 13 is also pivotally 1nounted. A spring 20 interposed between the end of the lever 13 adjacent the roll 15 and a portion of said bracket normally retains the plate 17 in contact with the screw 18. An electric wire 21 is connected to the bracket 19 by a screw 22, said bracket constituting one of the terminals of an electric circuit including said wire 21.

The screw 18 is insulated from the bracket 19 by means of an insulating bushing 23, while to said screw is connected another wire 24, said wire 24 being also included in' the electric circuit containing the wire 21 although the connections for said wires are not shown in the drawings, thus as said lever 13 is rocked upon its pivot the terminals for the wires 21 and 2-1 including the plate 17 and the screw 18 will be eonnected and disconnected at certain intervals permitting certain signals or numbers to be transmitted through the electric circuit including said wires.

The rotary member 11 may be rotated by any suitable instrumentalities such as spring motors or the like and inv the present instance I have employed a train of gears consisting of a pinion 25 secured to the shaft 12 and meshing with a gear 26 rotatably mounted upon a shaft 27. A spring 28 preferably of spiral form encirclesthe shaft 27 and is secured at one end to said shaft and at its opposite end to a casing 29 rotatably arranged relatively to the shaft 27.

A series of teeth 30 are arranged about the casing 29, said teeth being engaged by a pawl 31 preferably secured to the rear plate 32 of the frame supporting said instrumentalities. A spring 33 normally rewhile a lever pivoted engaging the end of a contact screw tains said pawl. in contact with said teeth. The shaft 27 extends from the rear plate 32 through the casing 29 and gear 26 and the front plate 31 of said frame and is journaled to rotate in said plate.

To the end of said shaft beyond the plate 34 is secured a lever 35 preferably in adjustable relation thereto, one end of said lever constituting a linger piece 36, while the opposite end 37 is adapted to engage the periphery of the rotary member 11. An annular flange 38 is formed about the periphery of said rotary member and this flange is notched at 39 to form a tooth which is adapted to-engage the end 37 of said lever and positively prevent the movement of said rotary member when engaged thereby.

To obtain the desired tension on the spring 28 the gear is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown thereon in Fig. 2, and held in such a position by the pawl 31, while the spring at this time is prevented from unwinding by means of the end 37 of the lever engaging the periphery of the rotary member 11. The gear 26 is operatively connected to the shaft 27 and incidentally to the spring 28 by a ratchet 10, preferably fast to said shaft and a pawl a1 secured to the gear 26, said pawl being yieldingly retained in engagement with the teeth on said ratchet by a spring 42.

When it is desired to operate the device the finger piece 36 of the lever 35 is moved in the direction of the arrow 5 Fig. 1,

- until the next tooth on the ratchet 40 engages the pawl 41. This movement of said lever rocks the shaft 27 and increases the tension upon the spring 28 and immediately upon the release of said finger piece 36 said lever will be returned to its engagement with the periphery of said rotary member.

The movement of said finger piece in the direction of said arrow has no direct affect upon the rotary member, but the return movement thereof causes said member 11 to be rotated by means of the gear 26 and pinion 12 which rotary movement continues until the end 3? of the lever 35 engages the notch 39 thus stopping said rotation.

it is desirable that the m vement of the end 37 of said lever toward the rotary member 11 be somewhat retarded and for this purpose a gear as is provided, said gear being secured to the shaft 12 and arranged to mesh with a pinion H secured to a shaft 45, said latter shaft also being provided with an escapement-wheel to, the teeth 47 thereof being engaged by an escapement 18 on a rocker shaft '19, while secured to said latter sha t is a vibrator 50 of suitable size to sufficiently retard the movements of said escapement thus in turn retarding the speed of said lever 37. The shafts 12, 27, 15 and 49 are all journaled to rotate or rock as the case may be in the front and rearplates. 34

also in the arrangement of the series of teeth on said member which constitute the various signals by which those at the central station may be informed of the particular location or number of the signal box from which the call is sent in and of the nature of the call whether for the wagon, telephone, or merely the route number of the oflicer making said call.

To accomplish this result a plurality of series of teeth are provided about the periphery of said rotary member, said teeth being circumferentially arranged thereabout and preferably consisting of two parallel series 52 and 53, the portion 5 1 of the series 52 consisting for example of two sets of teeth 55 and 56, the set 55 comprising two teeth and the set 56 comprising four teeth thereby representing the number 24, which in this instance is the number of the signal box. The remaining portion 57 of the series 52 is arranged to represent certain charactors and constitutes a call for the police wagon.

In the second series of teeth 53 the first portion 58 thereof is preferably identical with. the portion of the series 52 indicating the signal box number. The remaining portion of the series 53 however is made detachable and in the form as illustrated in Fig. 6, this being the patrolmans key and is inserted by the patrolman at the box at which he desires either to ring in to the central ollice or call for the wagon, these keys being interchangeable, each patrolman having a number of his own. The present key represents the number 37 and the teeth thereon are much finer than the teeth 53,

thus making it still easier to differentiate between the box number and route number. The end of the rotary member 11 is recessed to receive the segmental portion 60 of said key and is provided with a pin 61 which is adapted to enter a hole 62 formed in said segmental portion, while a hollow boss 63 is formed on said key which fits the projecting end of the shaft 12 thus maintaining said key when properly adjusted in nonrotatable relation to said rotary member.

The lever 13, as hereinbefore stated, is pivotally arranged adjacent to the rotary member 11 and is normally adapted to engage the teeth of the series 52 thus permitting a hurry call for the wagon to be made by merely moving the finger piece 36 in the direction of the arrow 6.

To permit said lever to be moved to aline with the series of teeth 53 a carrier 64 is provided upon which said lever is mounted, said carrier preferably consisting of a plate 65 secured to a rod 66 arranged to reciprocate in the front and rear plates 34 and 32, a plate 67 of insulating material being inserted between said lever and said plate to prevent a short circuit between the terminals of the wires 21 and 24. A collar 68 is adjustably secured to the rod between the plates 32 and 34, while a spring 69 encircles said rod between said collar and the rear plate 32, said spring adapted to move said lever from a position alining with said first series of teeth to a position with said lever alining with said second series of teeth.

The normal position of the lever 13, as here-inbefore stated, is in alinement with the series of'teeth 52 consequently said spring will be compressed and in this position it is held by a latch 70 secured to a rocker shaft 71 journaled in the plates 32 and 34, a torsional spring 72 normally retaining said latch in contact with the rod 66 and adjacent the forward end of the collar 68.

When it is desired to release said spring or to render the same operative whereby said lever will be moved from its alinement with the series of teeth 52 into alinement with the series of teeth 53, said shaft 71 is rocked by means of a lever 73 secured to the outer end thereof and in a place readily accessible by the patrolman. A stop lever 74 is provided on said shaft which engages a stop 75 secured preferably to the rear plate 32 for the purpose of limiting the rocking movement 'of said shaft 71.

To reset the lever 13 in alinement with said first series of teeth the carrier 64 is reciprocated longitudinally of the rotary member 11 rearwardly against the front plate 34 in which position it is locked by the latch 70. This operation the patrolman might in his haste often forget to perform and to insure its being done after the patrolman has rung in his number, means have been provided which consist preferably of a projection 7 6 which extends outwardly from the carrier 64 and is adapted to be engaged by a door 77 pivoted at 78 to the front plate 34, a latch 7 9 being provided at the opposite side of said door to retain the same closed. Said door 77 is provided for the purpose of covering and protecting the mechanism at the front of the plate 34 from injury and dust, only the end 36 of the lever 35 being exposed thereby and permitted to be operated without the opening of said door.

The front plate 34 is substantially larger in diameter than the plate 32 and is secured to the outer face of the partition 80 in which is provided an opening 81 through which the rear plate is adapted to be inserted.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated in modified form an arrangement of the teeth constituting the various signals in which the series of teeth which represent the box number for both positions of the lever 13 have been combined into one series 82 and placed intermediate the wagon call number 57 and the patrolmans number 59, the roll at the end of the lever 13 being slightly lengthened and adapted to engage said series 82 whether the same is in alinement with the series 57 or 59.

The general operation of the device is as follows:

The patrolman opens the door 9 and if he wishes to call the wagon the finger piece 36 is swung to the left in the direction of the arrow 6, see Fig. 1, whereupon the member 11 will be operated by the instrumentalities hereinbefore described to actuate the lever 13 to connect and disconnect the terminals of the wires 21 and 24 the number of times corresponding to the number of teeth in the series 52 with which said lever is at this time in alinement.

Should the patrolman merely wish to ring in his number, which is customary at the end of each beat, the door 77 is opened and his key 60 inserted in its place upon the rotary member 11, the lever 73 is then rocked to move the latch 70 whereupon the carrier 64 will move the lever 13 into alinement with the series of teeth 53 including said key and the finger piece 36 swung to the left in the direction of the arrow 7). After the member 11 has made a complete rotation the key '60 will be removed and the inner door 77 of the boX closed, the closing movement of said door causing said carrier to be moved rearwardly into a position to be locked by the latch 70 in readiness for another call.

When it is desired to telephone to the central oiiice a number calling attention to that fact may be transmitted by the insertion of a key similar to and in place of the key 60 and the levers actuated as above stated.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

1. A signal apparatus having, in combination, a rotary member, a plurality of series of teeth arranged about said member, electric circuit terminals, a contact lever adapted to be actuated by said teeth to connect and disconnect said terminals, and a door adapt ed to move said lever into a position to be acted upon by a predetermined series of said teeth.

2. A signal apparatus having, in combination, a movable member provided with a series of indentations thereon, a portion of the indentations of said series being detach able, and a contact member adapted to engage said indentations and be actuated thereby during the movements of said movable member.

3. A signal apparatus having, in combination, a movable member provided with a series of teeth? a second series of teeth detachably arranged in alinement with the first named series of teeth, and a contact member arranged to be engaged by the teeth of said sets and to be successively moved by said teeth.

4. A signal apparatus having, in combination, a rotary member provided with two series of circumferentially disposed teeth, instrumentalities adapted to rotate said member, a pair of electric circuit terminals, a lever pivotally mounted adjacent said ro tary member and adapted to be moved by said teeth to connect and disconnect sa d terminals, a spring adapted to retain said lever in alinement with one of said series of teeth, means to move said lever from ts position alining with said last named series of teeth into alinement with the other of said series, and a latch adapted to hold said lever in said last named position.

5. The combination with a signal box provided with a door of a rotary member, a plurality of series of teeth arranged circum'fierentially of said member, instrumentalities to rotate said member, electric circult terminals, a lever adapted to be actuated by said teeth to connect and disconnect said terminals, a carrier for said lever adapted to be moved to aline said lever with said series of teeth respectively, a spring adapted to .move said carrier in one direction, and means actuated by the closing of the door of said signal box adapted to move said carrier in an opposite direction.

The combination with a rotary member, a series of teeth circumferentially arranged about said member, a portion of the teeth constituting said series representing the number of said signal and the other portion of said series of teeth representing a wagon call, a second series of teeth arranged circumferentially about said rotary member parallel with said first series, a portion of the teeth of said second series representing the number of said boX, and the other. portion of said series being detachable and representing a route number, electric circuit terminals, and means adapted to be actuated by said teeth respectively to connect and disconnect said terminals, said means adapted to be shifted from engagement with one of said series of teeth into engagement with the other of said series of teeth.

7 The combination with a rotary member, a series of teeth circumferentiallv arranged about said member, a portion of the teeth constituting said series representing the number of said signal bOX and the other portion of said series of teeth representing a wagon call, a second series of teeth arranged circumferentially about said rotary member parallel with said first series, a portion of the teeth of said second series representing the number of said boX, and the other portion of said series being detachable and representing a route number, electric circuit terminals, a lever adapted to be actuated by said teeth respectively to connect and disconnect said terminals, a latch to normally retain said lever in alinement with said first series of teeth, means to move said latch to release said lever, and means rendered operative by the releasing of said lever adapted to move said lever into alinement with said second series of teeth.

8. The combination with a signal box provided with a door, of a rotary member, a series otteeth circumferentially arranged about said member, a portion of the teeth constituting said series representing the number of said signal, and the other portion of said series of teeth representing a wagon call, a second series of teeth arranged circumferentially about said rotary member parallel with said first series, a portion of the teeth of said second series representing the number of said boX and the other portion of said series being detachable and representing a route number, electric circuit terminals, a lever adapted to be actuated by said teeth respectively to connect and disconnect said terminals, a carrier for said lever, a latch adapted to retain said carrier in a position with said lever alining with said first series of teeth, means to move said latch to release said carrier, a spring rendered operative by the releasing of said carrier adapted to move said carrier to aline said lever with said second series of teeth, and means actuated by the closing of said signal boX door adapted to move said carrier to replace said lever in alinement with said first series of teeth.

9. The combination with a signal boX provided with a door, of a rotary member, a series of teeth circumferentially arranged about said member, a portion of the teeth constituting said series representing the number of said signal box and the other portion of said series of teeth representing a wagon call, a second series of teeth arranged circumferentially about saidrotary member parallel with said first series, a portion of the teeth of said second series representing the number of said boX and the other portion of said series being detachable and representing a route number, electric circuit terminals, a lever adapted to be actuated by said teeth respectively to connect and disconnect said terminals, a carrier for said lever, a spring adapted to move said carrier from a position with said lever alining with said first series of teeth to a position with said lever alining with said second series of teeth, a latch adapted to normally retain said carrier in said first named position with said spring under compression, means adapted to impart a limited movement to said latch to release said spring whereby said carrier will be moved to said second position, and means actuated by the closing of said-door adapted to move said carrier from said second named position to said first named position to compress said spring and reset said latch.

10. A signal apparatus having, in combination, a plurality of movable sets of teeth, electric circuit terminals, means constructed and arranged to be actuated by one or the other of said sets of teeth to connect and dis connect said electric circuit terminals, means adapted to automatically move said terminal Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the connecting and disconnecting means into alinement with a predetermined one of said sets of teeth, a latch adapted to lock said terminal connecting and disconnecting means in such alinement, means for operating said latch to release said terminal connecting and disconnecting means, and means for automatically moving said terminal connecting and disconnecting means out of alinement with said predetermined series of teeth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN WEIGEL. Witnesses:

SYDNEY E. TAFT, MARGARET E. HORN.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

